Vice President Harris and the director of the Secret Service raised concerns about an accident on Monday involving the car Harris was riding in after the agency originally refused to give specifics about the small mishap.
The motorcade carrying Harris to the White House was delayed after a Secret Service agent-driven vehicle collided with a tunnel curb in Washington, D.C. Still, an electronic warning to agency managers that the incident at Foggy Bottom was noted as “a mechanical failure.”
Harris was checked by medical personnel and was to be unhurt. Still, the damage to the car’s tire was substantial enough that the vice president had to be moved to another vehicle to finish her journey to the White House.
According to Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi, the accident was caused by “a minor overcorrection” when the driver hit a curb, and that, despite initial radio traffic indicating a mechanical failure, agents later reported “additional pertinent facts” to agency higher-ups after Harris was delivered to her destination.
However, the event has raised some questions regarding the Secret Service’s decision to withhold information in the electronic notice. According to the article, the lack of specificity in the original notice sent to document the vice president’s delay bothered Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle.
“The Vice President suffered no injuries and appreciates her USSS detail’s fast reaction to bring her to the White House safely,” spokeswoman Kirsten Allen said in an emailed statement.